Control apparatus



1366- 1965 w. F. SOMMER CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 28, 1964 INVENTOR. WILLIHM 1- SUMMER lllllll-nllll-llllllll United States Patent 3,225,750 CONTROL APPARATUS William F. Summer, 531 Hillcrest Ave., Westfield, NJ. Filed Dec. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 421,365 1 Claim. (Cl. 122448) This invention relates to control apparatus and more particularly, to means for controlling the fuel delivered to a heating system combustion chamber.

In existing heating systems fuel is normally delivered for combustion to heat a fluid medium which is conduited to a heat desired area generally containing a thermostat that regulates by commencing and terminating operative fuel delivery and combustion. The fuel is supplied and fired at a predetermined or maximum rate until the system has satisfied the heat desired area irrespective of when the heating medium has reached its maximum or predetermined peak temperature.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide such a heating system with means economically controlling the fuel delivery during system operation when the heating medium has reached its maximum or predetermined peak temperature.

In one aspect of the invention a unitary container is provided for use in the heating system which includes a lower compartment fuel combustion chamber having fuel delivering means therefor, an overlying compartment having means for delivering fluid thereinto for heating by the chamber, and thermally responsive means on a wall of the overlying compartment for controlling the fuel delivering means.

In another aspect of the invention an upper portion of the overlying compartment is provided with a vapor outlet located above the fuel delivering control means, and means are provided for maintaining liquid content in the overlying compartment at a predetermined level substantially below the vapor outlet.

These and other objects, advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a preferred arrangement, with parts shown in elevation and partially in section, embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a modified arrangement.

The vapor or steam heating system of FIG. I preferably includes a boiler or equivalent container shown generally at 11 having a suitable horizontal partition 12 sealingly dividing the boiler into a lower compartment or fuel combustion chamber 13 and an upper fluid vessel compartment 14. Sidewall 15 of the liquid-tight vessel appropriately supports an inlet liquid or water conduit 16 leading to inlet valve 17 which is controlled by a float 18 in such a manner to maintain liquid content in the vessel at a predetermined level 19 substantially below the top wall 20, and an access door 23 appropriately sealed to side wall 15 is provided for maintenance purposes when tank fluid has been substantially emptied through valved boiler drain 24 with fluid supply line properly closed by its manual control valve 16. A vapor or steam outlet 21 is provided in top wall for delivering heating medium through appropriate conduits to the desired heating areas (not shown) before its return to the boiler via return condensate line 22.

Fuel delivery pipe 25 is supported by a sidewall of the combustion chamber 13 and has the capacity to supply preferably oil to the burner structure 26 extending over a substantial area within the combustion chamber 13. Pump 27 in the fuel supply line delivers oil at predetermined pressure and quantity for atomization thereof through burner nozzles (not shown). Pump 27 is driven by a variable speed or appropriate electric motor 28 that 3,225,750 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 is started and stopped by a suitable switch in an electrical circuit (not shown) which is closed and opened by a conventional room thermostat 30 located in a selected area to be heated by the system. Plug electrodes 31 mounted in a combustion chamber sidewall adjacent burner 26 are connected to motor 28 which when energized will enable the plug electrodes to issue the necessary spark for igniting fuel emitting from the burner 26.

Thermally responsive means preferably in the form of a thermostat 33, electrically connected by an appropriate switch (not shown) to motor 28, is sealingly con-, nected or secured to vessel sidewall 32 so as to extend sufficiently into the water adjacent but just below the predetermined water level 19. With the thermostat 33 set to function at water boiling point (212 F.) and room thermostat 30 calling for or requiring increased heat, the motor 28 is energized to initially operate the fuel pump 27 at a predetermined maximum delivery rate until the water content in vessel 14 has been heated substantially to its boiling point by chamber 13, and at substantially the time steam vapor is first developed adjacent its outlet 21, thermostat 33 functions to reduce the speed of motor 28 and the fuel delivery rate to minimum amounts required to maintain the water content at its boiling point for continuous development of steam vapor until the requirement of thermostat 30 has been satisfied.

In the modified heating arrangement shown in FIG. 2, certain of the elements in the FIG. 1 system are incorporated and have been assigned similar reference characters for purposes of simplicity. Preferably, a normally closed regulating valve 40 which supplants the above mentioned motor and pump apparatus, is opened to a predetermined maximum position by heat requiring thermostat 30 for delivering fuel (oil or gas under appropriate pressure) at a maximum rate to burner 26 through conduit 25, the burner 26 being similarly lit by plug electrodes 31 or the like electrically suitably connected to room thermostat 30, and is subsequently closed to an intermediate position by regulating thermostat 33 connected thereto when the vessel water reaches its boiling point, such that a minimum fuel delivery rate is employed to maintain the water boiling point until the condition of thermostat 30 has been satisfied.

While both the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 arrangements may include a float controlled water inlet valve 17 as shown in FIG. 1, similarly either arrangement may include an appropriate water level gauge 34 (FIG. 2) that denotes the water level in the boiler between predetermined water levels 35 and 36, the latter or low gauge indication functioning through a low water cut-off arrangement (not shown) to terminate fuel delivery. Preferably, thermostat 33 is positioned just below the water level 36. Also the FIG. 1 fuel line 25 could be provided with a regulating valve between pump 27 and chamber 13 and appropriately connected with thermostat 33, should only employment of a constant speed motor be desired.

Various modifications, changes or alterations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

In a steam heating system having a water reservoir, inlet means for delivering water to said reservoir, outlet means in an upper portion of said reservoir for permitting escapement of steam therefrom, means controlling said inlet means to maintain water content in said reservoir at a predetermined level substantially below said outlet means, a fuel combustion chamber for heating water in said reservoir, means for delivering fuel to said combustion chamber, means for actuating said fuel delivery means, temperature responsive means immersed adjacent but just below said predetermined water level,

3 4 a steam return line'connected to a lower portion of said References Cited by the Examiner reservoir, and means controlled by said immersed means UNITED STATES PATENTS for regulating said fuel delivery means, said fuel delivery actuating means including a thermostat positionable in 1359,04? 11/1920 Doble et an area to be heated by said system, said fuel delivery 5 1,819,620 8/1931 Flatt 236 9 means including a pump, and said regulating means in- 2,056,519 10/1936 Hodgklnson 122448 eluding a variable speed motor interconnecting said ther- 2978302 4/1937 Lum 236 9 X mostat and pump, so constructed and arranged that when 2,836,365 5/1958 Swanson et a1 122448 X reservoir Water is heated to a boiling point to produce I steam, a minimum amount of fuel is thereafter delivered 10 JAMES WESTHAVER Primary Examiner to maintain said water boiling point. CHARLES J. MYHRE, Examiner. 

